by Nancy Thayer
His smile is like the sunrise. Gently, he touches his fingers to her face, wiping her tears away. “Can I kiss you?”
She lifts her arms to his shoulders, resting her hands on his strong, warm neck. “Please. Although you’d better hold me tight. I might fall down.”
She closes her eyes, and feels the soft warm huff of his breath, the tickle of his skin, the sweet urgent pressure of his lips on hers. She allows her body to press into his, she wraps her arms more firmly around him, she sighs as her loins, belly, breasts, and mouth remember the touch of this man. She kisses Ben back passionately, opening her lips, touching his lips with the tip of her tongue, squeezing her leg between his.
He pushes her away. “Okay, stop that. I was trying to be romantic.”
“So was I,” she teases.
“No. You were being seductive, and I am not taking you here on this beach in broad daylight.” He begins walking again, holding her hand, gazing out at the water.
“Where are you taking me?”
“I’m not sure. Years have passed. Maybe I’ve become more conservative in my old age.”
“Ben. You’re thirty.” It is all coming back, the give-and-take between them, the passion and the pleasure, the indestructible connection. It is as enduring as the ocean touching the earth. Sometimes stormy, always unfathomable, their love is lasting. Has lasted, will last.
“Yeah, I’m only thirty, but I want to do the right thing. I think I may not take you to bed until we’re married.”
Married. Grinning like a child, she asks, “How long do I have to wait?”
To her surprise, Ben stops walking. Taking both her hands in his, he drops to his knees. Looking up at her, he says, “Emily Porter Chadwick, will you marry me?”
Behind him, the sun strikes the waves into an ocean of diamonds.
Sinking to her own knees to meet his deep blue eyes, she says, “Yes.”
It’s like a morning in heaven.
For Charley
again, and always
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
I want to thank my agent and friend Meg Ruley for championing this book from the beginning. Linda Marrow, my angelically astute and gentle editor, coaxed and cajoled me through many drafts, changes, deletions, insertions, and improvements. The debonair Dana Isaacson helped so much with his insights and deft touches. Much thanks to him and to the perceptive Anne Speyer.
It is an honor and delight to work with the entire Ballantine group. I’m extremely grateful for the support of Libby McGuire and Gina Centrello. Kim Hovey, Ashley Woodfolk, Alison Masciovecchio, Quinne Rogers, and Penelope Haynes have been a delight to work with, especially as we all enter deeper into the computer world. For that, I also thank Christina Hogrebe at the Jane Rotrosen Agency, who has been enthusiastic and kind and never once called me an idiot. (As far as I know.) My gratitude also goes out to Paolo Pepe for working magic with my author photograph and for the gorgeous book covers.
I send my gratitude to Janet Schulte and Jascin Finger of the Maria Mitchell Association on Nantucket who helped me understand how the Natural Science Museum operates. Many thanks to Amy Jenness and Nancy Tyrer of the Nantucket Atheneum and to Wendy Hudson and her dynamite staff at Nantucket Book Works and Mitchell’s Book Corner. Thanks to the wonderful group at Titcombs Book Shop in Sandwich, and to Jody Levine of the Pelham Library, and a general hoorah to all libraries and independent book stores.
Thanks also to my wonderful friends who have brightened my life during the writing of this book and helped me believe I was not just hiding in my study talking to myself. When I say friends, I mean those I have had coffee with and all those with whom I would love to share coffee, my dear, funny, brave, inspiring friends from Facebook.
BY NANCY THAYER
Nantucket Sisters
A Nantucket Christmas
Island Girls
Summer Breeze
Heat Wave
Beachcombers
Summer House
Moon Shell Beach
The Hot Flash Club Chills Out
Hot Flash Holidays
The Hot Flash Club Strikes Again
The Hot Flash Club
Custody
Between Husbands and Friends
An Act of Love
Family Secrets
Everlasting
My Dearest Friend
Spirit Lost
Morning
Nell
Bodies and Souls
Three Women at the Water’s Edge
Stepping
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
NANCY THAYER is the New York Times bestselling author of A Nantucket Christmas, Island Girls, Summer Breeze, Heat Wave, Beachcombers, Summer House, Moon Shell Beach, and The Hot Flash Club. She lives in Nantucket.
nancythayer.com
Facebook.com/NancyThayerAuthor